take the offensive
To attack instead of defending; to be bold and proactive.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“It is time to take the offensive and win this game.”
“Instead of waiting for the competition to act, the company decided to take the offensive by launching a new marketing campaign.”
“Recognizing that their defensive strategy had failed, the general ordered his troops to take the offensive and reclaim the lost territory before dawn.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
charm offensive
A campaign of deliberately using charm and flattery in order to achieve some goal, especially in a political or diplomatic field.
- 03
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 04
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 05
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 06
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 07
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 08
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
Last updated August 10, 2026